It was a General Conference Sunday, so we got home and ate breakfast just in time to watch the Sunday morning session. This year we did a General Conference Train up on the wall and coloring pages such as coloring all of the Apostles ties and the children seemed to enjoy the train a lot. It was a new record in how long we were able to watch as a family. After lunch I packed the diaper bag for the hospital and we all went to the drainage ditch to fly kites. While there I called the on-call OB, Heidi, to ask if I should just come into the hospital since the contractions had lasted so much longer than with Michelle. I was literally sore from them all. Nope, wait until they are 5 minutes apart or you can't breathe through them. Okey dokey, then. I remember sitting there, eating dinner, thinking "How long is this going to last?"By the time the children were in bed, I told Dan that even though I was only 10 minutes apart, I wanted to get ready for the hospital and call my mom and all that. The contractions were so intense I could barely get ready for bed.
We finally went to the hospital at 10:30 at night. Thank goodness my mom only lives 15 minutes away. We arrived at the perfect time. By the time we were escorted through the ER entrance, the contractions were finally 5 minutes apart. I was admitted after seeing I was dialated to 5cm and rejecting the wheelchair -- sitting down was terrible. One nurse said she was surprised someone could walk into the Birth Center like that. But pacing was the key to my happiness all day! My nurse, Kelly, was awesome, almost as great as my husband when I was uncomfortable. (: I had seriously thought about having an epidural b/c I clearly remember how much Michelle hurt without one. Kelly was so encouraging, I went without an epidural again and am glad I did. After only having to push twice, Natalie Ava was born about 45 minutes after midnight. Only twice! And I could tell Natalie was smaller than Michelle right away because it didn't hurt as much this time either. She had her hand up by her face and still likes having it there. She was so active as she was getting weighed, just like in the womb.
Natalie has Michelle's eyes and nose and that dark brown hair. (I wonder if it will fall out and come in blonde like her big sister's did? Dan doesn't think so because it seems to be longer and more of it.) She weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces and was 20" long. Kaelah just adores how tiny her ears are. And lucky for me her head was only 13 cm and my great OB took precautions against my passing out. (Especially since having a hand by her face caused a 2nd degree tare.) The pictocin and methergine did the trick and recovery was so much quicker and nicer. I was able to feel alert and enjoy all the goings on instead of passing out and needing a blood transfusion. I actually could talk to the people around me and be happy to hold my new baby and give her a kiss on her tiny head. I also got to come home Tuesday afternoon instead of having to stay an extra day. And I packed myself up and Dan was amazed I could actually walk around my hospital room. I sure couldn't do that the last time I had a baby.
The funniest moment of my hospital stay was when Dan brought the children to visit me about 12 hours after giving birth and Danny asked me if there was a baby boy in my tummy yet. After getting home and realized how much of a tummy I have left, I'm thinking he really did think that bump meant there was another baby in there already. Poor kid.
The children were so excited to have their baby sister home Dan had to put them in front of a movie to let her and I take a nap. Lol. I'm so happy that they are happy. I highly recommend having children 3 years apart! Way easier than having 3 within 3 years, that's for sure. I am out of practice doing things like packing a diaper bag, though. When I took Natalie in for her newborn check today I took her -- and had to bum 2 too big diapers off of the office while I was there. Lol.
We've had great help. Dan has been able to be home from work and that is the best. His co-workers also sent us some really nice flowers. Members of our ward provided a play date, dinners, diapers, a doll, and blankets. Grandma and Grandpa have come to distract and play. And we are all adjusting really well. We couldn't be happier with our pretty little baby!
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